The invention relates to an apparatus for feeding animals with a feedstuff, in particular with a liquid feedstuff, the constituents of which or which is guided or processable in at least one component and is suppliable to an output device.
Automatic feeders are known and on the market in a large number of forms and embodiments. Reference is made here in particular to DE 296 06 172.7 U or DE 296 03 702.8 U.
In these automatic feeders, a feedstuff for, for example, calves is mixed up usually from milk powder and then supplied to a point of use via a corresponding supply line. This point of use may be a bowl, but in particular also a teat.
This in particular liquid feedstuff does not generally pass immediately to the point of use from the automatic feeder, but only when it is required, i.e. when for example a calf wishes to drink. This means that this feed has to be left in the automatic feeder even for relatively long periods of time, in which case its temperature can drop in winter and rise in summer. Both of these can be undesired, and therefore for example DE 196 04 199 and DE 198 45 186 propose heating the container, in which the feedstuff is prepared, in the automatic feeder. However, this heating is insufficient, since feedstuff which is not temperature-controlled is already present in the component and also in the output device. In other words, colder feedstuff is located in the component, or output device, in the winter and possibly too warm feedstuff is located there in the summer. Especially young animals perceive this as unpleasant.
It is the object of the present invention to develop an apparatus of the abovementioned type, in which the unpleasant temperature differences are eliminated.